The second state aid notice for fiscal year 2008-2009 has been completed and is posted to the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) web site. To view a district’s state aid notice, go to: http://arkansased.org/communications/reports.html. Under State Aid Notices, select State Aid Notice 2008-09 Preliminary.PDF February 27, 2009.
Select EDIT on the menu bar and FIND in the drop down box. Type the name of the school district in the Find box, and click FIND NEXT, or press the ENTER key. To print a copy of the selected state aid notice, select FILE, PRINT, and then CURRENT PAGE under the Print Range section. Then, click OK.
For each listed funding category, the following information is provided on the state aid notice: indication of the existence of an ADE rule; the estimated amount of state aid; the applicable statutory code; indication of the existence of expenditure restrictions; the Revenue Code; and the Source of Fund Code. The DATA section of the state aid notice provides most of the data supporting the funding calculations. The FUNDING section of the state aid notice provides preliminary funding estimates. Changes to data are likely and will result in changes to the 2008-2009 estimated funding. Updates or corrections to data will change all associated funding categories. Districts will be notified of any changes on subsequent state aid notices.
• The average of the Miscellaneous Funds collected in the previous five fiscal years, which was used in the calculation of 2008-2009 State Foundation Funding Aid and Bonded Debt Assistance, is provided. The former reporting cycle of April 1 through March 31, changed to a fiscal year reporting cycle in accordance with rule and law. This data, reported on a fiscal year cycle, was not available when the July 31, 2008, state aid notices were published.
• The portion of State Foundation Funding Aid that is Educational Excellence Trust Funds (EETF) includes an increase in the revenue forecast for EETF since the July 31, 2008, state aid notice.
• Alternative Learning Environment Funding is based on prior year full-time equivalent (FTE) data.
• English Language Learners Funding is based on students identified in the current year as not proficient in the English language.
• National School Lunch Act (NSLA) Funding is based on October 1, 2007, enrollment data. The effect of NSLA transition is included.
• The calculated amount of Declining Enrollment Funding is provided in addition to quarter one of Student Growth Funding and preliminary calculated amounts of Isolated and Isolated Special Needs Funding. Pursuant to state law, a district cannot receive both Declining Enrollment Funding (with the exception of adequacy funding of both Isolated Special Needs and Declining Enrollment) and either Student Growth or Isolated Special Needs. A district that is eligible to receive both Declining Enrollment and Student Growth or Declining Enrollment and Isolated Special Needs, will receive the category that yields the most funding.
Sufficient data is not currently available to finalize the calculations of the Isolated (including Special Needs, Special Needs Transportation, and Special Needs Adequacy), Declining Enrollment and Declining Enrollment Adequacy, Student Growth, and the 98% of URT less Actual URT Collections funding categories. As data becomes available, the associated funding amounts will be reflected on the next state aid notice.
Arkansas Department of Education Rules pertaining to state aid may be found at http://www.arkansased.org/. From the drop-down menu located under Rules, select Current Rules, and then select the specific rule as follows: Calculation of Miscellaneous Funds - PDF Sept. 10, 2007; Closing Isolated Schools - PDF July 2005; Education Excellence Trust Funds - PDF 6/10/1996; Funding of Public School Districts - PDF September 2007; Limited English Proficiency Funding - PDF April 2000; Professional Development - PDF July 11, 2005; Special Needs Funding and the Determination of Allowable Expenditures of Those Funds - PDF Nov. 13, 2006. The Arkansas Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation Rule Governing the Retirement and Termination of Bonded Debt Assistance, General Facilities Funding and Supplemental Millage Incentive Funding dated November 2005 is posted on the following web site: http://www.arkansasfacilities.com.
Please review the state aid notice carefully. A comparison of the most recent state aid notice to prior state aid notices may prove helpful in detecting errors and variances. Questions may be directed to Vivian Roberts at 501-682-4486.